The invention concerns a method for mechanically processing an organ or organs taken out from slaughtered poultry in a processing device or processing line, which organ or organs form part of an organ package and wherein the organ or organs are reoriented with the processing device before being separated from the organ package. Usually the organ package taken out from the poultry includes the intestines of the poultry.
The invention also relates to a processing line for harvesting an organ or organs from an organ package taken out from slaughtered poultry, which processing line includes at least one processing device for processing an organ or organs from the organ package.
EP-A-1 769 681 describes a method and device for mechanically processing a cluster of organs of a slaughtered animal, wherein the cluster is taken out of, and separated from, the body of the slaughtered animal. A clamping device is used to fix a particular organ within the cluster, which cluster is conveyed along a predetermined path. Then, tissue connections in the cluster are broken on the basis of the spatial orientation of the cluster, which is derived from the spot where the concerning organ is clamped. In this known device, separation of the intestines from the viscera package is executed by application of helical rollers that are driven in opposite directions with respect to each other, and wherein the organ package is fixed by clamping means above the rollers.
U.S. Publication No. 2008/0160892 discloses a method and apparatus for harvesting livers and hearts from a viscera package. An infeed pinch roller assembly is provided that does not include means to fix the viscera package above the roller assembly, which includes an intestine pull down and a liver and heart separator assembly. The viscera package is supplied to a pair of counter rollers. The package is captured by infeed pinch rollers thereby forcing the package into and between the rollers with only the gizzard remaining on top of the rollers. The left and right rollers converge along a nip line and the space between the rollers is sufficient to allow the liver and heart and the intestines to pass therethrough. The liver and heart are isolated and separated by a pulldown stripper assembly and a stripper arm assembly downstream of the rollers.
From EP-A-2 103 222 a separator is described that includes two cooperating rollers that are at least in part circumferentially provided with grooves. The first rollers define a preferably adjustable nip between the rollers for selectively allowing preselected organs from an organ package to pass through. During operation, the rollers rotate in opposite directions in order to convey the organ packages and simultaneously promote the preselected organ or organs to pass through the nip. This document also discloses that the rollers define a narrowing nip as seen in the conveying direction of the rollers, so as to cause that preselected organs are moved through the nip at the wider part of the nip while preselected other organs remain supported and conveyed by the rollers.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,382,313 discloses a processing device for harvesting gizzards. The device includes two cooperating rollers defining a nip between the rollers, each rotatably mounted at opposite ends in bearing blocks. The bearing blocks are adjustable so that the rollers can be shifted with respect to each other. Usually the bearing blocks are adjusted so that the rollers are generally parallel to each other and horizontally aligned, spaced apart at a distance that—due to the construction of the rollers—is variable along their length. The rollers have infeed and discharge ends with a tapered portion in between. The infeed portion has a first thread crest diameter, and the discharge portion has a second thread crest diameter being larger than the first thread crest diameter. The tapered portion has a thread crest diameter that increases from the first thread crest diameter at the infeed portion to the second thread crest diameter at the discharge portion. The nip between the rollers varies accordingly.
From NL 8502785, a device is known for separating gizzards from intestines taken out of slaughtered poultry. The device includes two parallel counter rotating rollers, which each have corresponding screw like circumferential ribs serving for conveying the gizzards and intestines. The forward ends of the rollers develop into a part with more densely provided ribs that eventually end into ribs having opposite pitch.